Cricket: Big Bash highlights more issues with zing bails

Heat tailender Zahir Khan edged the ball onto his stumps - but the bails stayed on. Photo / Getty Images

Cricket's zing bails are once again under fire after yet another batsman was spared despite the ball crashing into his stumps during the Big Bash last night.

Perth won't be complaining after thumping Brisbane Heat by 40 runs on the Gold Coast but Scorchers quick Matthew Kelly has every right to feel aggrieved for being robbed of Zahir Khan's wicket.

Late in the Heat's pursuit of Perth's 6/149, the No. 11 inside edged a yorker onto his shoe before the ball rolled back onto the stumps — only for the bails to stay on.

There was a red flash indicating at least one of the bails — which light up when dislodged — had popped off briefly, before settling back into its groove and giving Khan a life on 10.

This is an issue that has plagued cricket in recent times with bails refusing to budge more and more regularly, even when the stumps have been struck firmly.

Khan's pegs were hit so hard the ball deflected off them and rebounded square of the wicket towards point.

Aussie legend Adam Gilchrist said something needs to be done to fix the recurring problem.

"This is getting ridiculous," Gilchrist said in commentary for Fox Cricket. "Something's got to be done here.

"It's got to be looked into and changes have got to be made because that's a legitimate form of dismissal.

"You've created the error — the ball has smashed into the stumps."

Fellow commentator Mark Howard added: "There needs to be an inquiry — it's happening so often.

"That has smashed into the bail.

"We saw it in the World Cup a few times — it can't be coincidental."

Last year's ODI World Cup put the zing bails under the microscope after multiple batsmen escaped when the bails stayed put.

During Australia's game against India in the group stage, David Warner was spared when he inside edged Jasprit Bumrah back onto his stumps.

That match was just the Aussies' third of the tournament but by then Warner was already the fifth batsman who had benefited from the bails not coming off.

One-day skipper Aaron Finch said at the time the trend was "unfair" on the fielding side while Indian captain Virat Kohli added: "This is not something which you expect at the international level.

"You literally have to smash the stumps really hard … and these are fast bowlers. These are not your medium-pace bowlers."

Former Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds said in commentary for Fox Sports last night the weight difference between zing bails and traditional wooden ones was significant because the technology needed to make bails light up made them heavier, and therefore more difficult to dislodge.